An estimated one in five Americans suffers from chronic pain and many of these people depend on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) to help manage their pain because their doctor does not approve of or prescribe narcotic pain medications. NSAIDs include both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. While these medications are effective in helping to relieve pain, continuous use may increase the risk of stomach ulcers. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, NSAID use is the second major cause of stomach ulcers. In the US, it is estimated that gastrointestinal complications caused by NSAIDs result in more than 100,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths annually.
Although narcotics can be addictive they do not cause as many deaths and hospitalizations when used as prescribed, for chronic pain patients that are prescribed or recommended high amounts of NSAID’s controlled substances such as Norco or Oxycontin are often much more effective. In addition do many narcotics also have a positive effect on depression which is often accompanied by chronic pain. Clinical trials show that narcotic medications generally score much better results as SSRI’s such as Prozac, Celexa and other commercial medication. Unfortunately physicians will not prescribe narcotics solely for depression but it can make a huge difference for chronic pain patients who are unable to function and enjoy life.
Be careful if your doctor recommends long term pain management with NSAID’s, NSAID use is the second major cause of stomach ulcers and you may end up in the hospital or worse!!!
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For severe episodes of low back pain, narcotic pain medications may be prescribed. Clearly, narcotic agents are strong and potentially addictive forms of medication and should only be administered by a physician. All narcotic agents have a dissociative effect that helps patients manage pain.
There is a new type of non-narcotic oral pain medication that can be prescribed to treat low back pain. Tramadol (Ultram) acts centrally (in the brain) to modulate the sensation of pain and has no anti-inflammatory effect. It is a stronger pain reliever than acetaminophen, but probably not as strong as the narcotic agents. Ultram is often a good option for treatment of low back pain because patients do not build up a tolerance with extended usage and there is a very low incidence of addiction.
Recent revelations regarding an area physician and the alleged over prescribing of narcotic pain medication serves as a good lesson for the use of restraint when treating patients. Physicians and dentists are given the enormous responsibility of prescribing all types of medications, including narcotic pain medication. Narcotic pain medication like codeine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone are necessary and helpful drugs when used to control pain, but are also potentially addicting or lethal if abused.
Narcotic medications can relieve severe, acute symptoms. They are much less effective in treating long-lasting (chronic) neck pain. Over time, the body becomes more tolerant of narcotic medication, and a normal narcotic dosage provides less effective pain relief.
Relief from pain.In some people, prescription pain relievers also cause euphoria or feelings of well being by affecting the brain regions that mediate pleasure. This is why they are abused. Other effects include drowsiness, constipation and slowed breathing. Taking a large single dose of prescription pain relievers can cause severe respiratory depression that can lead to death.Use of prescription pain relievers with other substances that depress the central nervous system, such as alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, or general anesthetics, increases the risk of life-threatening respiratory depression.
The FDA is conducting an investigation into the deaths associated with these patches. It’s unclear if the deaths are due to inappropriate use of the patch or factors related to the quality of the product, according to the advisory. Deaths and overdoses have occurred in patients using both the brand name product Duragesic and the generic product fentanyl. The directions for using the fentanyl skin patch must be followed exactly to prevent death or other serious side effects from overdosing with fentanyl, according to the FDA.
EMPIRIN contains aspirin and is, therefore, not used in patients with a history of aspirin allergy. Children or teenagers with symptoms of chicken pox or influenza should avoid aspirin because of the association of aspirin with Reye’s syndrome, a serious liver and neurologic condition. For more information regarding precautions in the use of aspirin and related medications, please visit Aspirin site.
Sleep apnea has long been a concern for anesthesiologists because of its association with difficult intubation and recovery room complications. Claim reviews at The Doctors Company (TDC) have revealed a number of recent cases of “unexplained” postoperative cardiopulmonary arrests occurring in hospitalized patients. All of these patients received parenteral narcotic pain medication and were ultimately diagnosed with sleep apnea. An Anesthesia Advisory panel was convened in Napa, California, in March 2001, to discuss 8 of these claims. TDC believes that the trend exhibited by these cases is sufficiently alarming to present the following panel summary with the hope that this cause of major morbidity and mortality may be avoided.
For many years, the most widely used prescription pain relievers have been narcotics. Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain and cause drowsiness or sleep. In addition, they all have similar side effects. Historically, these drugs came from the opium poppy. They are also called opioids or opiates. Today, many narcotics are synthetic, that is, they are chemicals manufactured by drug companies.
Medication Formulary is an extensive list of safe and effective brand name and generic prescription drugs. It is a guide for physicians when they prescribe and pharmacists when they dispense medications. Drugs that appear on the formulary have been chosen on the basis of sound medical data, safety and cost. CIGNA HealthCare, ConnectiCare, Health Net and Oxford Health Plans have determined that a carefully managed formulary process can decrease drug costs while ensuring high-quality medical care.
Ten percent of Americans have a peptic ulcer during their lifetime. This kind of ulcer is a sore in the lining of the small intestine or stomach, and can pose a serous risk should progress to the point where it causes perforation or hemorrhage. In such cases, patients need emergency treatment. This review looked at 24 studies that included nearly 4,400 people with bleeding peptic ulcers. The review authors concluded that PPIs provided, “the greatest benefit to those patients at the greatest risk of serious outcomes.”
Although the review found no evidence that PPI treatment improves survival of patients with less serious ulcers, reductions in re-bleeding and surgery held true.The results of this meta-analysis strongly suggest that PPIs should be administered to patients with endoscopically-documented peptic ulcer bleeding,†conclude review authors led by Grigoris Leontiadis, MD, a Greek gastroenterologist.
Even today no-one knows precisely how thalidomide works. It is broken down in the body into up to 50 different chemicals, whose effects are generally unknown. Thalidomide is able to suppress certain parts of the immune system. Some researchers have suggested that it stimulates the production of `suppressor’ T-cells which can shut down the immune system’s response to foreign organisms.